Hundreds of protesters lay down in Spain to mimic Gaza’s mass casualties
NewsFeed The bodies of hundreds of protesters filled the streets outside the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao to mimic the mass casualties in Israel’s war on Gaza. The city in northern Spain was besieged and bombed during the Spanish Civil War. Published On 9 Jun 20249 Jun 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Everything you need to know about UEFA Euro 2024 football championship
The UEFA Euro 2024 tournament will be held in Germany, and 24 teams will compete to be crowned the champions of Europe. Italy are the title defenders, having won the last edition by beating England in the final on penalties. The 2024 edition marks the return of the tournament to its usual four-year cycle after the 2020 edition was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s everything you need to know about Euro 2024: What are the key dates? The monthlong championship will start on June 14 at the Munich Football Arena with hosts Germany playing Scotland. The group stage will run until June 26 with the knockout stage beginning on June 29. The final will be played on July 14 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. This will be the first time Germany has hosted the tournament since its unification in 1990. The 1988 edition was staged in what was then West Germany. Germany was chosen as the host nation at a UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Nyon, Switzerland, in 2018. Turkey was the only other nation that bid to host the tournament. Where is the tournament being held? Ten venues have been chosen for the tournament. Of those, nine were used when Germany hosted the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Here are the host cities and stadiums: ⚽ Berlin: Olympiastadion Berlin (capacity: 71,000)⚽ Cologne: Cologne Stadium (43,000)⚽ Dortmund: BVB Stadion Dortmund (62,000)⚽ Dusseldorf: Dusseldorf Arena (47,000)⚽ Frankfurt: Frankfurt Arena (47,000)⚽ Gelsenkirchen: Arena AufSchalke (50,000)⚽ Hamburg: Volksparkstadion Hamburg (49,000)⚽ Leipzig: Leipzig Stadium (40,000)⚽ Munich: Munich Football Arena (66,000)⚽ Stuttgart: Stuttgart Arena (51,000) Munich will stage matches for the second Euro in succession, having been one of 11 venues that held matches during Euro 2020. Munich Football Arena will be one of the stadiums used during Euro 2024 [Alexandra Beier/AFP] How many teams are taking part? Twenty-four teams divided into six groups will participate in the tournament. There will be 51 matches in total. ⚽ Group A: Germany, Scotland, Hungary, Switzerland⚽ Group B: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania⚽ Group C: Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, England⚽ Group D: Poland, Netherlands, Austria, France⚽ Group E: Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine⚽ Group F: Turkey, Georgia, Portugal, Czech Republic Georgia are the only team making their European Championship finals debut while Ukraine and Poland qualified via the playoffs. Who are the favourites? France, Germany, England, Portugal and Spain are among the frontrunners. Portugal were the only side who won all their games during the qualifying phase while France and England were unbeaten and Spain lost only one match. Germany are also considered one of the favourites on account of being the hosts, even though they had a disappointing performance at the 2022 World Cup. Which key teams failed to qualify? Sweden and Norway are the two big names who failed to qualify for Euro 2024. The Swedes did not make the cut for the Euros for the first time since 1996 while Norway have not played since 2000. Their failure to qualify means fans will miss out on watching high-profile Premier League players such as Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard and Alexander Isak in Germany. Manchester City superstar striker Erling Haaland will not take part in Euro 2024 after Norway failed to qualify [Marko Djurica/Reuters] What is the tournament format? The top two teams from each group along with the four best third-place finishers will progress to the round of 16. That will be followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final. The Euro 2024 winner will compete in the 2025 CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions against the 2024 Copa America winner. What is the squad size? UEFA, which governs European football, confirmed in May that the maximum squad size will increase from 23 to 26 players. Teams were allowed 26-man squads at Euro 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic, but UEFA had initially planned to revert to the 23-man teams at Euro 2024. Expanded squads were also permitted at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar because it was played in the middle of the domestic season. Expanded squads are beneficial for managers as the busy schedule at the club level creates more risk of injuries to players. When do teams have to submit their squads? Participating countries had until June 7 to provide UEFA with a squad list containing a minimum of 23 players and a maximum of 26. The trophy that 24 teams will be playing for at Euro 2024 [Alexandra Beier/AFP] You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated Euro 2024 tournament page with all the match build-up and live text commentary, and keep up to date with group standings and real-time match results and schedules. Adblock test (Why?)
World War II veteran, 100, weds 96-year-old bride near D-Day beach
Together, the collective age of the bride and groom was nearly 200. But American World War II veteran Harold Terens and his sweetheart Jeanne Swerlin proved that love is eternal as they tied the knot near the D-Day beaches in Normandy, France. Their respective ages – he is 100, she is a youngster of just 96 – made their nuptials on Saturday an almost double-century celebration. Terens called it “the best day of my life”. On her way into the nuptials, the bubbly bride-to-be said, “It’s not just for young people, love, you know? We get butterflies. And we get a little action, also”. The location was the elegant stone-worked town hall of Carentan, a key initial D-Day objective that saw ferocious fighting after the June 6, 1944, Allied landings that helped defeat Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany. Like other towns and villages across the Normandy coast where nearly 160,000 Allied troops came ashore under fire on five code-named beaches, it is an effervescent hub of remembrance and celebration on the 80th anniversary of that day, festooned with flags and bunting and with veterans feted like rockstars. As the swing of Glenn Miller and other period tunes rang out on the streets, well-wishers – some in WWII-period clothes – were already lined up a good hour before the wedding, behind barriers outside the town hall, with a rousing pipe and drum band also on hand to serenade the happy couple. After both declaring “oui” to vows read by Carentan’s mayor in English, the couple exchanged rings. “With this ring, I thee wed,” Terens said. She giggled and gasped, “Really?” With champagne flutes in hand, they waved through an open window to the adoring crowds outside. “To everybody’s good health. And to peace in the world and the preservation of democracy all over the world and the end of the war in Ukraine and Gaza,” Terens said as he and his bride then clinked glasses and drank. The crowd yelled “la mariee!” – the bride! – to Swerlin, who wore a long flowing dress of vibrant pink. Terens looked dapper in a light blue suit and matching pink kerchief in his breast pocket. Wedding party at the Elysee And they enjoyed a very special wedding-night party: They were invited to the state dinner at the Elysee Palace on Saturday night with President Emmanuel Macron and United States President Joe Biden. “Congratulations to the newlyweds,” Macron said, prompting cheers and a standing ovation from other guests during the toast praising French-American friendship. “[The town of] Carentan was happy to host your wedding, and us, your wedding dinner,” he told the couple. The wedding was symbolic, not binding in law. Mayor Jean-Pierre Lhonneur’s office said he was not empowered to wed foreigners who are not residents of Carentan, and that the couple had not requested legally binding vows. However, they could always complete those formalities back in the US state of Florida if they wished. Lhonneur likes to say that Normandy is practically the 51st state of the United States, given its reverence and gratitude for Allied soldiers and the sacrifices of tens of thousands who never made it home from the Battle of Normandy. “Love is eternal, yes, maybe,” the mayor said, referring to the newlyweds, although his comments also fittingly describe the feelings of many Normans for veterans. “I hope for them the best happiness together.” Dressed in a 1940s dress that belonged to her mother, Louise, and a red beret, 73-year-old Jane Ollier was among the spectators who waited for a glimpse of the lovebirds. The couple, both widowed, grew up in New York City: she in Brooklyn, he in the Bronx. “It’s so touching to get married at that age,” Ollier said. “If it can bring them happiness in the last years of their lives, that’s fantastic.” D-Day memories The World War II veteran first visited France as a 20-year-old US Army Air Forces corporal shortly after D-Day. Terens enlisted in 1942 and, after shipping to the United Kingdom, was attached to a four-pilot P-47 Thunderbolt fighter unit as their radio repair technician. On D-Day, Terens helped repair planes returning from France so they could rejoin the battle. He said half his company’s pilots died that day. Terens himself went to France 12 days later, helping transport freshly captured Germans and just-freed American POWs to England. Following the Nazi surrender in May 1945, Terens again helped transport freed Allied prisoners to the United Kingdom before he shipped back to the US a month later. Swerlin made it abundantly clear that her new centenarian husband does not lack charm. “He’s the greatest kisser ever, you know?” she proudly declared before they embraced enthusiastically for TV cameras. “All right ! That’s it for now !” Terens said as he came up for air. To which she quickly quipped, “You mean there’s more later?” Adblock test (Why?)
US, France pledge support as Biden warns Russia ‘will not stop’ at Ukraine
The United States and France have both reaffirmed support for Ukraine in its battle against Russia’s invasion during a meeting in the French capital. Speaking at a joint news conference at the Presidential Elysee Palace in Paris on Saturday, President Joe Biden warned that Vladimir Putin would “not stop” at Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron, in turn, hailed his US counterpart’s loyalty to Europe. “All of Europe will be threatened, we are not going to let that happen,” Biden said during his state visit to France. “The United States is standing strong with Ukraine. We will not, I say it again, walk away.” Macron then told Biden in front of reporters: “I thank you, Mr President, for being the president of the world’s number one power but doing it with the loyalty of a partner who likes and respects the Europeans.” The US president has been in France since Wednesday, taking part in commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings that changed the course of World War II. On Friday, both Biden and Macron met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris, pledging support for Ukraine. In a statement released by the White House on Saturday, the French and US leaders said they agreed that wider security across the Atlantic was at stake in Russia’s war. “France and the United States co-chair the artillery coalition at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and intend to take new steps to provide the necessary support to Ukraine in the current phase and in the longer term,” the statement said, referring to a coalition of about 50 countries that meet regularly to discuss Ukraine’s security needs. The US and France also reaffirmed their commitments to the “continued provision of political, security, humanitarian, and economic assistance to Ukraine”, the statement said. US President Joe Biden, right, shakes hands with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, as they hold a bilateral meeting at the Intercontinental Hotel in Paris [Saul Loeb/AFP] Shared goals, diverging strategy Speaking to Al Jazeera, Former US Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker said that Washington and Paris both seek “to make sure that Ukraine survives as a sovereign, independent European democracy”. He added the countries are also unified in their desire to halt “Putin’s ideology of re-establishing an empire and denying the existence of the Ukrainian people”. However, the former diplomat said that the nations differ on how to carry out their goals. “The US has been very cautious, has been very concerned about escalation and very concerned about poking Putin,” Volker said. “Macron, more recently, has been pushing the envelope. He’s been talking about what more can be done to help Ukraine, including the possibility of helping regulate their air defences by having some trainers on the ground in Ukraine.” Macron on Friday said he had discussed such a plan with NATO leaders, with some agreeing to join the effort. That would be finalised “in the days ahead”, he said. The US has been staunchly opposed to having any of its personnel on the ground in Ukraine, a position that has remained unchanged since Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022. Biden and Macron also discussed their support for using interest earned from frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine, a move that has been met with scepticism from some European G7 allies. ‘We’re still in it’ Ukrainian forces, long outgunned by Russia, have struggled to maintain pressure against Russia along the 1,000-kilometre (621-mile) front line in recent months. That has come as some support from Western allies has flagged. Still, Kyiv received a boost in recent weeks, with France and Germany at the end of May allowing Ukraine to use the weapons they provided against targets on Russian soil. The US soon followed suit, giving Ukraine permission to use weapons provided by Washington in Russian territory near Kharkiv. In Paris on Friday, Biden apologised to Zelenskyy for previous delays in Washington’s aid to Kyiv, stressing that the US is “not going to walk away” from supporting Ukraine. “We’re still in – completely, thoroughly,” he said. Adblock test (Why?)
India vs Pakistan, ‘nagin dance’, Ashes : A look at cricket’s top rivalries
Some of the most thrilling encounters in sport have been between nations or athletes with historic rivalries that add an extra layer of anticipation and drama. In cricket, these rivalries range from sour relations stemming from decades-old conflicts to colonial history and some newly-formed bitterness. The ICC T20 World Cup will highlight some of these top rivalries as in the tournament’s group stage and, perhaps, the Super Eights. Here is a look at some of the most thrilling match-ups in the history of the game: India vs Pakistan The clash that has been the biggest, quickest-selling and most anticipated match of every multilateral cricket tournament. The rivalry originated in 1947 when India was partitioned into two countries following British colonial rule. Pakistan and India have since fought three wars, and diplomatic ties between both countries have mostly remained bitter. On the cricket field, the head-to-head record favours Pakistan in Test matches (12-9) and one-day internationals (73-56) while India have the upper hand in T20 matches (8-3). When it comes to World Cup history, the scale is heavily tilted in India’s favour. Pakistan have never beaten India in the ICC ODI World Cup in their eight meetings and have only won once in their seven encounters in the T20 World Cup. Their last clash, at the Cricket World Cup on October 14, went India’s way again as romped to a seven-wicket win at biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad. The South Asian rivals will meet at New York’s newly-built Nassau County Stadium on Saturday, June 9 in front of a sell-out crowd of at least 34,000. India’s Virat Kohli shakes hands with Pakistan’s Shadab Khan following the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan in Melbourne, Australia on October 23, 2022 [File: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP Photo] Australia vs England The oldest rivalry in the game – dating back to the 1800s – originated when a British newspaper famously wrote a condescending and racist article on Australia’s cricket team. It was set in stone when, in 1882, British tabloid The Sporting Times published a mock obituary of English cricket following their Test team’s defeat to their trans-continental rivals, saying “the body [of English cricket] will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia”. The bitterness originated from Test cricket and comes to the fore during the Ashes Test series, but has carried on to all sporting encounters between both countries. In Cricket World Cup history, both teams have met on nine occasions. Australia have won six of those matches and England three. England’s first T20 World Cup title also came at Australia’s expense, when they won the 2010 final in the West Indies. Their second one was won in Australia, when they beat Pakistan to lift the title. The T20 Cup 2024 edition of Australia vs England is set for June 8 at Barbados. England’s captain Eoin Morgan, left, celebrates with teammate Joe Root after winning the Cricket World Cup semifinal match against Australia on July 11, 2019 [File: Rui Vieira/AP Photo] Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka It started with a dance, specifically the “nagin dance”, in 2018. Bangladesh bowler Nazmul Islam had been doing the nagin (cobra in Hindi) dance to celebrate his wickets for some time, so when his side beat Sri Lanka in the T20 series in January 2018, he pulled it out again for all four of his wickets. Sri Lanka’s Danushka Gunathilaka did not take kindly to the serpentine celebration and did his own version to mock Islam when he dismissed two of Bangladesh’s batters. A few months later, the celebration gained traction during the triangular Nidahas trophy, which also included India. When Bangladesh recorded their second win against hosts Sri Lanka, their entire team broke out into an overzealous “nagin dance” celebration on the pitch. 2018 – Nagin Celebration by Bangladesh after knocking out Sri Lanka from Nidahas Trophy. 2022 – Nagin Celebration by Chamika Karunaratne after knocking Bangladesh out of Asia Cup. pic.twitter.com/Po7yhyeAb5 — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 1, 2022 The night ended with shattered glass in the visiting team’s dressing room and nothing has changed since. Every time both teams meet, there is no shortage of provocative placards in the stands and venomous celebrations on the field. In ODI cricket, Sri Lanka have won 42 of their 53 ODI meetings between both countries, while Bangladesh have won nine. They also hold the upper hand in the ODI World Cup, four wins in five matches. Sri Lanka have beaten Bangladesh twice in their T20 World Cup meetings, but the Bengal Tigers tamed the Lankan Lions with a two-wicket win in a thrilling match at the 2024 edition in Dallas. Bangladesh’s team members perform the ‘nagin dance’ as they celebrate their team’s victory over Sri Lanka in the Nidahas triangular series on March 16, 2018 [File: Eranga Jayawardena/AP Photo] Afghanistan vs Pakistan Afghanistan and Pakistan have been involved in a complicated geopolitical and cultural relationship for several decades and share a porous border that is often subject to violence and abrupt closures. The political tensions have translated into a fierce on-field rivalry, especially over the past few years as Afghanistan have swiftly built a reputation as world beaters. Several members of the early Afghan cricket team, including former captains Gulbadin Naib and Mohammed Nabi, picked up the sport while living in Pakistan as refugees during the decades of war and turmoil in their home country. Pakistan’s National Cricket Academy in Lahore hosted the players for training sessions. Some of the earliest coaches of the Afghan team also came from Pakistan. However, the historical tension between the countries has often come to the fore when the teams have met in recent years. Although Pakistan hold a 7-1 lead over their neighbours in ODI cricket and a 4-2 lead in T20 internationals, some recent matches have seen last-ball finishes that have gone Pakistan’s way. Fast bowler Naseem Shah has been a consistent thorn in the Afghan side by twice taking Pakistan home when a loss seemed certain.
Australia vs England at T20 World Cup: Head-to-head, form, team news, pitch
Who: Australia vs EnglandWhat: ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Group B matchWhen: Saturday, June 8, 1pm local time (17:00 GMT)Where: Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, BarbadosHow to follow: Al Jazeera will have live text coverage of the match from 14:00 GMT. After rain played spoilsport in their opening T20 World Cup match, defending champions England will be under pressure to seek a win against rivals Australia when they meet for their all-important Group B match at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. England and Scotland shared a point each after their match at the same venue was washed out on Tuesday. Jos Buttler’s side, aiming to become the first team to retain the trophy, looked below their best, allowing the Scots to race to 90-0 in 10 overs. England are fourth in Group B with one point, while Australia are second with two points after beating Oman in their opener. The group is led by Scotland, who have three points from two games, while Namibia are third with two points from two games and Oman sit at the bottom after losing two games. A defeat to ODI world champions Australia on Saturday could leave England’s Super Eight qualification in jeopardy, but batter Jonny Bairstow does not want the permutations to affect him. “It doesn’t derail us either way,” Bairstow told reporters on Friday. “We know we’ve got to win more games than we lose in tournament cricket, that’s just part and parcel of it. “A win puts you in a position in the group, but at the end of the day, the other two games [against Oman and Nambia] are must-win games anyway. “It will be good for momentum and confidence [to beat Australia],” he added. Bairstow described the contest between the Ashes rivals as “a great spectacle”. “The guys have played against each other for a long time now, which in many ways is really exciting because you know each other’s games,” he said. “Hopefully it will be a fantastic atmosphere like it always is in Barbados.” Australia ‘pumped’ for England face-off Australia had a shaky start in their match against Oman before all-rounder Marcus Stoinis shone with the bat and ball as they recorded a comfortable 39-run win. Captain Mitchell Marsh said his side felt a bit nervous in that game, but were happy with the win and looking forward to Saturday’s clash with familiar foes England. Marsh expects England fans to outnumber the Australians for the match at Barbados, jokingly adding that the atmosphere would be the same as Headingley in Leeds. “I dare say this will be full and it’ll be mostly English fans so it’ll be like playing at Headingly all over or anywhere in England where you get sprayed,” Marsh said. “But just the atmosphere, the vibe of the game, there’s always a lot riding on it. And I think as a team we always want to challenge ourselves against the best. “England have been exceptional in this format for a long period of time now, so there’s certainly going to be a lot on the game and we’re pumped.” (Al Jazeera) Head-to-head Australia and England have played 23 T20 internationals, with England winning 11 games, Australia 10 and two contests ending in no result. Form guide Australia started their campaign with a win over Oman. Before the tournament, they played two series in February, celebrating a 3-0 series whitewash over trans-Tasman neighbours New Zealand and a 2-1 series win over the West Indies. England’s first World Cup match with Scotland ended in no result after rain wrecked the contest. Before the tournament, England won 2-0 in a rain-affected four-match series against Pakistan. Australia: W W W W L England: W W L W W Pitch and weather conditions Kensington Oval has hosted four matches, all producing varied results. The first contest was a low-scoring match, the second was washed out, while the third and fourth fixtures saw targets in the region of 155-165. Saturday’s match, which starts in the afternoon, will played on a new surface. Rain is forecast in the morning and around the match time. Australia team news Pat Cummins will return for this match after being rested against Oman. Mitchell Starc, who left the field in the last game with cramp, is expected to be fit. Both players had a long stint in the Indian Premier League and played the final on May 26. Squad: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (captain), Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis. England team news England do not have any injury concerns. Squad: Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood. (Al Jazeera) Adblock test (Why?)
Slovakia, Italy vote in European Union elections
People in multiple European countries are casting ballots on third day of polls before last and biggest stage of voting on Sunday. Voters in Slovakia, Italy and other countries in the European Union are heading to polling stations on Saturday to elect their representatives in the European Parliament. On the third day of the elections, Slovakia is casting its votes under the shadow of an assassination attempt on populist Prime Minister Robert Fico on May 15. The nation of 5.4 million is choosing between representatives of Fico’s Smer party – the top party in the incumbent governing coalition – and the main opposition Progressive Slovakia, a pro-Western liberal party. Fico released his first public statement since the attack in the form of a pre-recorded video just hours before the start of the pre-election silence period on Wednesday, arguing that he was attacked due to his divergent views from the European mainstream. He opposes support for Ukraine against the Russian invasion and ended Slovakia’s military support after being sworn in on October 25. He also opposes EU sanctions on Russia and wants to block Ukraine from joining NATO. Also on Saturday, voters in Italy will begin casting their ballots over two days to fill a considerable 76 European parliamentary seats which could help shape its future direction. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her far-right Brothers of Italy are expected to be the big winners, gaining over coalition partners such as the anti-migrant League and the centre-right Forza Italia. Her backing could affect whether Ursula von der Leyen earns a second term at the helm of the European Commission, with a potential alliance looming. Meloni has also been courted by French far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the hopes of creating a far-right alliance. Leila Simona Talani, director of the Centre for Italian Politics at King’s College London, told Al Jazeera that anti-immigration policies are a considerable driver of the far-right in the elections, but not the only one. “One of the reasons is the war in Ukraine and there is a lot of polarisation among parties on whether or not we should continue this effort to support Ukraine,” she said. “My impression is not that the whole European Parliament is moving to the right. I don’t even think the majority will move to the right, but they are getting more votes.” Voters in Latvia, Malta and the Czech Republic are also casting ballots on Saturday. Final results for the 720-seat European Parliament are not expected until Sunday night when every country has voted. The fourth and final day of voting on Sunday will also be the biggest, with citizens in 20 of the 27-member bloc, including voters in Germany, France and Poland, heading to the polls. Seats are allocated based on population, ranging from six in Malta or Luxembourg to 96 in Germany. Almost 370 million Europeans are eligible to vote to send representatives to the only directly elected EU institution which has the power to block legislation. Adblock test (Why?)
UN adding Israel to ‘blacklist’ of countries harming children in conflict
The United Nations is adding Israel to its so-called “blacklist” of countries that have committed abuses against children in armed conflict, an Israeli diplomat has confirmed, as thousands of Palestinian children have been killed in the Israeli military’s continued assault on the Gaza Strip. In a social media post on Friday, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan said he received official notification of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s decision. “This is simply outrageous and wrong,” Erdan wrote, alongside a video of him speaking into a telephone and condemning the move. “I responded to the shameful decision and said that our army is the most moral in the world. The only one being blacklisted is the Secretary-General who incentivizes and encourages terrorism and is motivated by hatred towards Israel.” Commenting on Erdan’s remarks later in the day, Guterres’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said a UN official had called the Israeli envoy as “a courtesy afforded to countries that are newly listed on the annexe” of the annual “Children in Armed Conflict” report. “It is done to give those countries a heads-up and avoid leaks,” Dujarric told reporters, adding that the report is set to be presented to the UN Security Council on June 14 and then officially published a few days later. “Ambassador Erdan’s video recording of that phone call, and the partial release of that recording on Twitter, is shocking and unacceptable – and frankly something I’ve never seen in my 24 years serving this organisation,” Dujarric said. I received the official notification about the Secretary-General’s decision to put the IDF on the “blacklist” of countries and organizations that harm children. This is simply outrageous and wrong because Hamas has been using children for terrorism and uses schools and hospitals… pic.twitter.com/o1civfJFAk — Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) June 7, 2024 Palestinian Authority welcomes decision The annual report on children in armed conflict compiles “a list of parties engaging in violations against children”, including killing and maiming, sexual violence and attacks on schools and hospitals. Guterres faced criticism from Palestinian rights advocates for failing to place Israel on the so-called list of shame, which included Russia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Syria and Haiti. The blacklist is meant to call out parties engaged in abuses against children. But other countries can use it to restrict arms sales to the offenders. Senior Palestinian official Riad Malki welcomed the UN’s decision on Friday, saying that the move is overdue. “Now, faced with the catastrophe in Gaza that the world sees with its naked eyes with the genocide that specifically targets children and women, the UN secretary general no longer has excuses not to place Israel on the blacklist,” Malki said in a statement. Rights groups have condemned the dire toll Israel’s bombardment and siege of Gaza has had on Palestinian children across the enclave. More than 36,700 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since early October, including 15,571 children, according to the Gaza government media office. UN experts have also said Israel’s restrictions on deliveries of food, water, medicine and other critical supplies have created a humanitarian crisis, with parts of the coastal territory facing the threat of famine. Earlier this week, the UN’s child rights agency UNICEF said nine in 10 Palestinian children in Gaza were living in “severe child food poverty, surviving on diets comprising two or fewer food groups per day – one of the highest percentages ever recorded”. By comparison, in 2020, only 13 percent of children in the Gaza Strip were living in severe child food poverty, UNICEF said. The World Health Organization also said last week that more than four in five Palestinian children in Gaza “did not eat for a whole day at least once in the three days” ahead of a food insecurity survey. Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCIP) has also reported on the dire consequences Israel’s continued military assault on Gaza is having on Palestinian children, including thousands that have been critically injured since October. The collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system has meant many patients, including children, are unable to get the care they require, the group said. “Palestinian children who survive Israeli attacks face a lifetime of recovery to heal from the physical and psychological trauma,” Ayed Abu Eqtaish, DCIP’s accountability programme director, said in a statement on Wednesday. In one testimonial gathered by DCIP, a 15-year-old Palestinian boy named Mohammad described his difficult journey to recovery after he was shot in the back by an Israeli quadcopter in March. He is now paralysed in the lower part of his body. “I spend most of my time on a mattress, lying on my back. Also, I suffer from ulcers due to prolonged sitting, and have not healed yet. The medicine for these wounds and painkillers are expensive and my father cannot always afford them,” Mohammad told DCIP. “I used to love playing football, as I always stood as a goalkeeper,” he said. “I also loved repairing watches and electrical appliances, but now I cannot do that due to my disability.” In January, Save the Children said more than 10 children in Gaza lose limbs daily. But Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz slammed the UN’s decision on Friday, calling it “shameful”. “The [Israeli military] is the most moral army in the world – and no fictitious report will change that. This step will have consequences for Israel’s relations with the UN,” Katz said in a social media post. Adblock test (Why?)
US re-establishes Gaza aid pier damaged in bad weather
The United States military has announced it has reinstalled a temporary aid pier in Gaza that had been damaged in bad weather, saying humanitarian assistance will flow through the floating dock in the “coming days”. The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Friday that the pier will enable the delivery of “much-needed humanitarian aid” to Gaza. The Palestinian territory has been brought to the verge of famine due to a suffocating blockade by Israel, a top US ally that receives billions of dollars in aid from Washington every year. “In coming days, CENTCOM will facilitate the movement of vital food and other emergency supplies, in support of the US Agency for International Development,” the US military said in a social media post. Jun 7, 2024 at 16:09At approximately 2:15 p.m. (local Gaza time) on June 7, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) successfully reestablished the temporary pier in Gaza, enabling the continued delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. In coming days, CENTCOM will… pic.twitter.com/YMJiCVGvwP — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 7, 2024 Aid groups have long warned that the US pier is an ineffective way to deliver aid and cannot be a substitute for opening land routes, which had been blocked or severely restricted by Israel. Late in May, 20 aid organisations, including Amnesty International and Doctors Without Borders, called the US-installed dock part of “cosmetic changes” that fail to address the crisis adequately. “As Israeli attacks intensify on Rafah, the unpredictable trickle of aid into Gaza has created a mirage of improved access while the humanitarian response is in reality on the verge of collapse,” the groups said in a statement. “The ability of aid groups and medical teams to respond has now all but crumbled, with temporary fixes such as a ‘floating dock’ and new crossing points having little impact.” To critics, the $230m pier has come to symbolise the failures and contradictions of US policy in Gaza. The administration of President Joe Biden denies that Israel is blocking aid to Gaza while regularly urging the US ally to allow more assistance into the territory. The US also provides Israel with billions of dollars in military aid, including heavy bombs and artillery shells that Biden has admitted have killed Palestinian civilians. US laws prohibit military aid to go to countries that block US-backed humanitarian assistance. Biden announced plans to build the pier in his State of the Union Address in March, saying the dock would be able to “receive large shipments carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelter”. The project was completed in mid-May, but days later, waves swept away vessels supporting the pier, raising questions about the initiative’s viability. By the end of the month, the pier itself sustained damage and required repairs. The pier is set to be operational again as Israel continues to block the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which previously served as a major artery for aid and humanitarian workers. Another major issue worsening the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is the inability to deliver aid to people once it reaches the territory. Israel has killed more than 200 humanitarian workers since the beginning of the war, according to Save the Children. An Israeli air raid in April killed seven World Central Kitchen workers delivering aid in the territory, sparking global outrage. Still, Biden has resisted calls to restrict or condition military aid to Israel, often reasserting his “ironclad” commitment to the US ally. In recent days, Israel has killed dozens of Palestinians at UN schools in Gaza serving as shelters for displaced people. An Al Jazeera visual analysis concluded this week that US weapons were used in an Israeli strike that killed at least 40 people at a school in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. On Friday, Hamas said the targeting of schools by Israel is part of the ongoing US-backed “genocide” against Palestinians. “The administration of US President Joe Biden bears full responsibility for these ongoing crimes by continuing to supply the fascist entity with weapons and munitions, as well as political and diplomatic support, and terrorizing and obstructing international justice from assuming its role in stopping this genocide and holding its perpetrators accountable,” the Palestinian group said in a statement. Adblock test (Why?)
India’s Modi set for third term as prime minister
NewsFeed India’s Narendra Modi will be sworn in for a third term as prime minister on Sunday after he was unanimously elected by members of the BJP and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as their leader. Published On 7 Jun 20247 Jun 2024 Adblock test (Why?)